Pop-punk icons blink-182 have returned with a brand new, full-length LP just in time for fall. Released on October 20th, 2023, the band’s ninth studio album, One More Time…, sees the well-known lineup of Mark Hoppus (bass/vocals), Tom DeLonge (guitar/vocals), and Travis Barker (drums) reunite to explore themes of loss, regret, and friendship together for the first time in over a decade.
It’s not a stretch to say that blink-182 has had the most ups and downs of any major musical act within the last thirty years. For those unfamiliar, the three-piece formed in Poway, CA in 1992, released six albums and achieved worldwide fame in the decade that followed, took their first indefinite hiatus in 2005, reunited in 2009 following a tragic plane crash that Barker was involved in, broke up again in 2015 due to DeLonge’s preoccupation with U.F.O. research, replaced DeLonge with Matt Skiba of fellow punk-rock group Alkaline Trio for another two albums in 2017 and 2019 respectively, and, now, following Hoppus’ recovery from stage-four lymphoma, the group has brought back DeLonge “one more time” – hopefully for good.
Never ones to repeat themselves, blink-182 have outlived many of their peers thanks to their innovative and evolutionary nature. The first record of theirs to be produced by Barker, One More Time… features a modern, polished sound in line with many of the newest wave of pop-punk’s releases. At a solid seventeen tracks long, the LP sees the boys experiment musically within a number of alternative-rock subgenres, going from the post-hardcore vibe of “Terrified” to the ballad-esque title track and even an ‘80s throwback with “Blink Wave.”
While the forty-five-minute runtime might leave some fans wishing for more, the album ultimately proves itself as another respectable entry in the discography of blink-182. With a healthy mix between nostalgia-based lightheartedness appealing to older fans of the group and darker, more mature material that’s sure to strike a chord with younger audiences, One More Time… will likely be remembered as one of the band’s most notable works. Here’s to hoping their next record is even better!
